Previously:

<Cobalt Kid lands in front of his armies, removing his Security Office coat that he wears on Legion World. Scipio Taltarus stands before him, as two Centurions place Cobaltus’ armor on him, and strap his sword around his waste.>

You received me message then Scipio? We march for war.

And we do what we must.

<One third of Legion World’s military, the army of the Triumvirate Cobalt Kid, begins its decent across the galaxy>

he he he, what fun.

It's all very epic motion picture isn't it? The waving flags, the buff men in military uniform, the look of anticipation of what's to come on their faces, the... oh hang on, that's my bedroom, not the gathering before a war. My bad.

Still, nice army. Of course in this case whoever loses, I win (what with being evil and all that).

Command Center in the Psyonian Palace in the Imperial City

<Maxx leads Crujectra and Crusader into the Command Center, a vast communications complex. King Hrold and Queen Suzyn stand with the Royal Council, watching the bank of monitors before them>

Father, mother, we have returned.

Vee told us to go where we could do the most good... Well I'm a Janitor with a Power Ring and delusions of adequacy and what I do best is clean up other peoples messes.

So here I sit, dead center on the deep space border between Pysonia and Ggrrgg. They may want to fight but they'll have to go through me to get at each other.

<Memories flood back into Cobalt Kid’s mind:>

A group of boys, all about 8-9 years old in age run through the streets, beating each other with sticks, made of the latest Ggrrggian technology. Ggrrgg is a city that looks like it’s made of pure gold—decadent, built in the same fashion of Ancient Rome. The Roman guard does well to hide the advanced Ggrggian technology, which focuses on the ongoing war efforts and expansion into the neighboring galaxies.

In addition to the Long Three Way War*, Ggrrgg never wastes an opportunity to bring other planets under its glorious and enlightened rule.

An older woman moves out of the way! “Desmonius! Stop this behavior at once!”

“Let him be, Livia. You know it is the fashion for the young ones to learn how to fight. We need him strong and brave, ready to crush his opponents. Maybe one day he’ll be a consul like his father.”

The woman smiles at her husband and the two walk on.

The boy named Desmonius runs past his friends, although he stops short of an ally. He sees an old slave working tedious on a table outside, with various knickknacks and vials. “What are you doing, slave?” asks the boy.

“Ah, young master Desmonius. I am doing the work I once did in my home planet, where I was a free man. I was a thinker, and my profession was science!”

“Science? Surely a man of your stature would be wasting his time on science? Why weren’t you a warrior?”

“You are very bright, young one. But life on Ggrrgg has given you its own brand of wisdom. Come here and watch, as I work on this potion to heal my mistress. She is infected with cancerous cells throughout her intestines. The Ancient medicines of Earth have been perfected to create this simple potion, laced with the element ‘cobalt’, which directly destroys the cancerous cells and preserves life.”

“Cobalt?”

“Yes. War focuses on destroying life, young master. Science uses things such as cobalt to preserve it.”

<Flash forward. Cobalt Kid marches with his army across the galaxy, ships following in his wake. His is the army that was once a rag tag group of surviving armies left over from the horrible Barbarian Invasions in the LMB’s forth year. He helped mold it into the incredible war machine it is today to battle back those Barbarians.>

“We are getting closer, Cobalt,” says Scipio Taltarus, one of his most trusted men.

“Good Scipio. We will be victorious. I feel it.”

“You are a great general, Cobalt,” Scipio replied, smiling and adding “did you ever believe you’d end up leading this army?”

Cobalt looked at into space as he replied. “No…no, I did not.”

Years before:

“You have to say something to him! This is getting completely out of control!”

“Livia! For Ggrrgg’s sake, relax! He’s a young man, doing what young men do.”

“He’s sleeping with every single woman or girl that crosses his path!”

“That is the way of our culture and you know it. You’ve never had any problem doing so yourself, or my doing so. Why our son? From what I hear in the bathhouses, he’s becoming a legend,” grinned the proud father.

“You think its funny, but its starting to be a problem. The girls don’t move on their marry way anymore, like the normal standard of Ggrrgg. They become crazy in their heads and start following him constantly. He’s had actual death threats! His sleeping with them is coming back to bite him on the ass!”

“Bah! Nonsense.”

“I personally took care of one girl myself—a slave girl, no matter. He doesn’t know though, which is a good thing. Because you don’t realize that he actually cares for these women. All of them! There’s the different between yourself and him, Marius. He doesn’t use them and leave them, as is the standard of Ggrrgg’s orgy ridden society. He is passionate and caring, and has feelings for them, and then they do for him.”

“Father? Mother? What is all this about?” said the young teenage Desmonius, entering the room.

“Nothing, son. Strictly politics. The Hephaestians are revolting again. As a show of our strength over them, I’ve ordered that all the Hephaestian slaves living on Ggrrgg by thrown in the fire pits. That should teach them a thing or two about challenging the power of Ggrrgg.”

“Firepits…? Hepheastians…? Father, you can’t be serious! You—father, Alchemious is a Hephaestian!”

“I know your fond of him, son, but I’ve already ordered it, two days ago. I didn’t want you to have to bear saying farewell. He’s been a good teacher to you, although I never quite understood your fascination with the sciences he teaches. Between that and these ladies that seem to be causing so much trouble, you’re hardly spending enough time practicing your training. You’re sloppy and you don’t seem to have any motivation. Maybe this will get you back into proper Ggrrggian mode.”

Stunned, the teenager stood there in silence.

“A harsh lesson, I know, but one we all must go through,” continued his father.

The young man looked at the sword hanging from his belt. Fire built into his heart…

He leaped at his father, pulling his sword out and preparing to kill him. Grabbing his father by the throat, he cocked his arm back for one plunge…

*Skkrtt* The blade grazed across young Desmonius’ back, just deep enough to sting him into falling to his knees. His mother wiped the blood away from her own sword, before it could stain her beautiful carpet. “You have overstepped your bounds…son,” was all she said.

The father looked at him, rage and curiosity in his face. He brought his hand up to his face—and swiftly brought it down backhanding his son. The carpets would be stained after all. The beating lasted one full hour.

“What of the Princess,” asked one of the soldiers. They had no fear of talking directly to him, since he has always been one of them. It was what helped endear him to them in the early days, and make it his army. “Is she not one your closest friends?”

“Yes,” replied Cobalt Kid. “I hope she’s alright right now…”

“Sir, there’s a Green Lantern up ahead. Our radars detected him. What are we to do?”

“We wait. The last thing we need is for our army to battle Abin Quank. He has the ring for a reason. No one can clean up a mess like Abin…in as many ways as you think.”

(Ggrrggans to the left of me, Pysonians to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you..)

Cobalt, I know you can hear me...

Turn your army around. There will be no War while I am the Green Lantern assigned to this Sector.

(Ggrrggans to the left of me, Pysonians to the right, here I am, stuck in the middle with you..)

Why is that song echoing in my head???

“I left Ggrrgg when I was fourteen,” said Cobalt Kid to Scipio. “I had enough of the warrior society, of all the blood and the death. I had to escape.”

This was the first time Cobalt had ever spoken to Scipio of Ggrrgg. Indeed, he had never even spoken of it to his fellow LMBers, except when he underwent his yearly ritual of Rrrrggghhhkkk. Some, like the Jectra’s knew of Ggrrgg’s warlike nature, but had never questioned him on it.

“I discarded my old name and took the name Cobaltus. Which is why I’m called Cobalt Kid, since I became an LMBer. It means far more to me than a moniker. When I left, I went to study science at the science institute, stealing my parent’s money to pay for it. No one ever knew. I met Tsarin Kid there, and well…the rest is history. I ended up gaining these abilities, and becoming an LMBer. Then I died, and came back, and met you and the others, and we formed our army because we had to.”

“Because our survival depended on it,” he continued.

“Did you ever go back to Ggrrgg?” asked Scipio.

“Yes, I did. Once.”

------------------------------

<Flashback.>

LardLad approached Cobalt, slightly inebriated with his usual big grin, and immediately the young LMBers spirits lit up. Who knew what kind of craziness was about to be unleashed. Goon Boy and Loser Lad were on there way, and there was no voice of reason among this crowd.

“You have an urgent message. R. Engine Joe Brande would said its important,” said Lardy, adding “so hurry up, will’ya?”

Cobalt walked in, and standing next to the philanthropist was none other than his father, Marius Desmonius. “Son,” was all his father said.

“Father.”

Brande nodded, and walked out.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come for you,” said the former consul. Cobalt said nothing. “What you are doing here…it is…very noble. I’m proud of you son, and so is your mother.”

“But.”

“But I’m asking you to come home to Ggrrgg. We…we’re at war, and we need every hand we can get. Our enemies, the Mind-Flyers and the Okaarians have formed an alliance, and they’re threatening to invade Ggrrgg. Son, I want you to be with your people during this time of war.”

“War. Its always war with Ggrrgg, isn’t it. When will it ever end…” he trailed off.

“Son, think of what your power can do! These magnetic abilities—they could be so useful on the battlefield! All tech has metal components, if—“

“Stop. So this is what this is about? A son of Ggrrgg, returning to his loving planet, or a potential major war weapon? They even sent their primary diplomat, the former consul of Ggrrgg. That its his own son is a stroke of pure luck. Get out. I never want to see you again, or that pitiful planet. I’ll have no part in your ways any longer.

In his bed, Cobalt sat up, watching as his army waited. They were on the borders of Psyonia, trying to stay out of Abin Quank’s way. He tried to push his thoughts away…but couldn’t…

Flashback

To: Cobalt Kid
From: Marius Desmonius

Cobaltus, or whatever you call yourself,

Ggrrgg has been victorious in our war. Livia Drusilla, your mother, has been a casualty of this war. She did not die peacefully.

You have failed us.

Command Center in the Psyonian Palace in the Imperial City

<Crujectra watches the Triumverate Fleet closing in on Psyonia. She closes her eyes and reaches out through her rapport. Cobalt Kid is there with his fleet. Her eyes slowly open, and a look of grim determination crosses her face>

Don't make me fight you, Cobie. Your army will not be allowed to invade Psyonia. I will stop you... whatever the cost.

Final Flashback

A young man makes a promise he thought would last forever, and returns to his home planet. The dead are being buried in a massive ceremony, and the wife of a former Consul of Ggrrgg dying a martyr’s death is something that is glorified on a planet such as Ggrrgg.

Without the usual pomp and outlandishness that had come to characterize Cobalt Kid, he moves among the crowd, taking in all the sorrow. Above, he sees the funeral pyre of Livia Drusilla, his mother. One of the first things he can ever remember is her holding him and kissing a cut on his knee. One of the last things he can remember is her slashing his back with a short sword.

Up ahead, he sees his father.

“Father…I…”

“Get out. You have no place here,” says the father, staring into the fire.

“I…” Cobalt struggled to find the words, suddenly feeling more like a young nineteen year old than he had in a long time.

“You failed us. And you failed her. She’s dead now, because you’ve chosen to abandon your home planet. You have no place here on Ggrrgg, and never will again. Get out before I alert the Consul you are here—you’re wanted on Ggrrgg now for high treason. You’re dead to me…Cobaltus.”

“Father…I’ll stay…I’ll make amends…I won’t fail Ggrrgg again—“

“One time is enough. Your mother is dead boy. Go strive for peace so you do not have to witness what disgusts you so much. If I ever see you again, it shall be as enemies.”

Up ahead, Cobalt sees the gathering Ggrrggian fleet, approaching the Psyonian border. Abin Quank’s green energy can be seen up ahead.

<Crujeckie…> Cobalt strains to use the telepathic link between them, but he has trouble doing so over such large distances.

“I want you to prepare our march. I will deal one on one with Abin Quank. I gave him that power ring…I know what must be done.”

“Sir, what happened to you then with Ggrrgg?” asks Scipio, feeling as if there is more to the story.

“Not much, Scipio. I never saw my father again. Ggrrgg named me an enemy of the state for years, until one of my fellow LMBers used their political clout so that I could be welcomed back home.”

“Which one, Cobalt?”

“Princess Crujectra.”

<Cobalt flies off into space, to confront Abin Quank>

Huh??? What was that??? Who's There???

Oh, Sorry I fell asleep during all the flashbacks.

Now where were we?

You're about to be confronted.

Waiting, Waiting, **Yawn** Waiting, **Drums Fingers**

Cobie, Just wake me when the confrontation starts, Okay?

Be patient... it takes time to mobilize an army

<The Army moves forward, past Abin Quank, obviously distracted , into position on the outskirts of Psyonia>

Hey Abin!

<span style="font-size: 50px;">*PUNCH!*</span>

Heads up!

<Cobalt lands a sucker-shot into Abin's chin>

I figure magnetism and power-rings will be all the rage in this fight, but might as well get some old fashion punching in there!

Command Center in the Psyonian Palace in the Imperial City

<The Royal Family watches the fleet preparing to enter orbit around Psyonia>

King Hrold: "Battle stations, people!"

Queen Suzyn: "For Psyonia!"

<The telepathic call rings out, and across the globe, every man, woman and child with telekinetic powers looks heavenward, marshalling their power. Individually, none of them have psionic strenth to match the Royal Family, but united they are a major defensive force>

King Hrold: "Raise the shield!"

<The Psyonian telekinetics unite, and a shield of psionic energy forms around the small planet>

<Caught comletely unaware, Abin spins like a top from the force of Cobie's blow.>

Wai...

<Falls unconscious, unable to warn Cobie or his army that he has Space-Mined all the approaches to Pysonia...>

<grabs Abin>

That's it? One punch?

<Abin's ring activates various protocols for precisely this situation, and creates a gigantic fist, knocking Cobie backwards with titanic force>

Great, just great...

<An energy globe encases Cobie, and a pair of twelve foot tall speakers begin blasting out bad Rimborian Country & Western music, Winathian Calypso beats, And Tromian Tangoes ALL at the same time.>

It won't hold him long but maybe if I transmit a warning to his fleet, I can slow things down enough to talk some sense into him.

Yeah, Right...

Now that's a low blow! You know I hate Winathian Calypso beats!

<magnetically pulls huge asteroid crashing into Abin>

Might have judged that one wrong...

<asteroid hits Abin, who hits Cobalt Kid, and the two LMBers crash further into space, closer to Psyonia>

(Or maybe I judged it just perfect...)

<The two LMBers begin to magnetically pick up velocity and Cobalt uses Psyonia's gravitational pull to cause the two LMBers to start their crash landing into Psyonia>

Hope you're ring can save us both Abin, 'cuz breaking into Psyonia's atmosphere is going to make things kinda hot...

<Uses ring to grab the gravitational pull of Pysonia's smaller moon and slingshot the pair back into space, heading directly for the flagship of Cobie's Fleet>

Well, I hope you can stop us magneticly Cobie, cause the bubble I've encased us in will go right through the "Ggrrgg's Pride!"

Abin, we need to get to Psyonia, so you, I and the Jectra twins can settle this together...

<magnetically attemtps to pull it off course, as two tremendous forces struggle against one another. Cobalt manages to divert the encased pair, but neither LMBer is able to pull it in any direction now>

Bring us to Psyonia Abin, and we can finish it there...

Cobie, I'll take us to Pysonia on two conditions.

First, Your Fleet stops beyond the minefield coordinates I transmitted to the captains.

Second, You give me your word that no matter what happens you won't throw the first punch or fire the first shot.

I can promise that. Take me to Crujectra, and you will both see my what my position is going to be.

You're coming too, Miner.

"Take me to Crujectra, and you will both see what my position is going to be." -cobie

hhmmm kinky.

Okay Cobie, I've transmitted everything that transpired here to the twins. As soon as either of them, I won't deal with anyone else, gives us permission to land I'll take us there.

Miner has his own way to get there... As soon as he takes DB back to Lash's Thread...

Fair enough, Abin.

<sees Army is out of view, on the borders of Psyonia>

You know, I had to punch you just to keep face with my army. It was the only way to show them that I won't let anyone's authority overide my own.

I just want to get that out of the way now, so you and I are square. Because I have to face Crujeckie now, and that's going to be something I need my total attention on...

(Hmmmm... Cobie's always kept his word in the past but sometimes it's like a Devil's Bargain, I need to keep a close eye on things...)

<Sends Private Message to Pagan Lass...>

<rubs jaw> Yeah, I understand, Cobes

King Hrold: "No Ggrrggian Invader will set foot upon Psyonia! Crujectra, launch the [b]Psyonian Protocols[b]!"

<Crujectra spins around to face her father>

Spellbinder: "Father, no! Let me handle this! I... I can stop Cobie... please..."

<A look of grim determination crosses the face of the King of Psyonia>

King Hrold: "Very well, daughter. If you will not stop this invader, then I will!"

<Triggering the touchstone on his chest, the King of Psyonia channels the psionic might of his race, lashing out at the approaching LMBPers. Suddenly, Cobalt Kid and Abin Quank stop dead in their tracks, heads thrown back in agony as their minds and bodies are assaulted>

Crujectra and Crusader: "Father, NO!"

<As one, the twins trigger their own touchstones and enter the mind meld. Marshalling their wills, the twins wrest control of the meld from their father, freeing Abin and Cobalt Kid. The psionic backlash, however, drives the King to his knees, and then he falls to the floor, unconscious>

Queen Suzyn: "Children, what have you done?"

Spellbinder: "Forgive us, mother, but we did what must be done. Father was making a horrible mistake. We will take care of this, I promise."

<With that, the Jectra Twins and Maxx leave Psyonia and head out to meet their teammates just outside Psyonian Orbit>

Dammit! That HURT!!!

You all right Cobalt?

Okay, Cru, Crusader, and Maxx are on their way here...

<blood trickles down nose>

Aaaargh...no, I don't think so. That was one of the most painful experiences I've ever felt.

I guess the Psyonian Protocols truly *are* real...

Sorry for that too, Abin...

I doubt it was as painful as the time I killed all those clones of you and made you lose your powers

<appears, hands Cobie a napkin>

Here, you don't want to look too messed up before the negotiations start. No more than usual, anyway.

Can we save the rest of the fighting for the actual bad guys now?

<Crusader and Princess Crujectra arrive, and the five heroes are once more face to face. Tensions are high>

Thank you Miner *wiping blood from nose* and thank you Crujeckie and Mykal. I hope that in stopping your father, you have read what my plans are. I know what a terrible price it was for you to pay.

You see, it is my father that is leading this assault on Psyonia. I still have some secret contact with my homeworld, and I know they have new Doomsday which although untested, they still plan to use. I’ve used my army to give them a false sense that they have allies waiting for them out here, to lure them closer to Psyonia, although into a strategic position that will make them have a harder time of pulling back. Being a general is something I had to learn on my own to survive. Being a manipulative bastard is something I learned working at the Office of Security.

They are currently heading into a trap, and my army has direct orders to proceed to battle them on sight. We will be the first line of defense against Psyonia, although only we five and my army realize it. I once swore to abandon the warlike ways of Ggrrgg…the irony that I’ve embraced them to battle Ggrrgg does not escape me.

<turns to Crujectra>

I’m sorry for what this may have cost you, Crujeckie. Even now, it occurs to me that it far too coincidental that Ggrrgg and Psyonia suddenly go to war in the midst of a Crisis…

But this is interplanetary war! Who could be so powerful that they could pull the strings of two of the most powerful planets...

<Suddenly, Crujectra screams, her eyes clenched shut. When she at last opens them, tears are streaming down her cheeks>

Oh Cobie... Abin... an LMBPer has just fallen...

NOOOOO!!!!

IT's Not True! It can't be true...

Oh no...oh no...

He was one of my best friends on Legion World...he was my partner...

Enough is enough. We need to finish this and get back to Legion World.

It makes sense when you think about it. Who is powerful enough to put two worlds at war? Why, the same person that would want to put Cobalt Kid at war with Crujectra and Crusader--since we know his secrets! It's him.

Space Ranger...I'll miss you brother...and I'll mourn you in the way you'd have wanted it--fighting for truth and justice.

Let's go kick some Ggrrggian ass!

*watches events with amusement*

boo yah!

What kind of mysterious entity goes "boo yah"?

OK, LMBers, enough is enough. We need to get back to Legion World. First Emerald Empress, now Space Ranger.

We know whose pulling our strings. It's him.

My army has engaged the Ggrrggian War machine. Let's go give them a hand, and finish this, before they get any closer to Psyonia. Then we're going home.

<holds Crujectra's hand>

I'm sorry if I've come between your father and you, Crujeckie. But I'll be here for you. And now we face my own father, one on one, and I know you'll be there for me.

Let's go LMB! Teleport us in, Miner!

Spellbinder: "That's okay, Cobie. We can work things out with my father. How mad could he be, really?"

<Suddenly, the touchstones at Crujectra and Mykel's throats pulse in brilliant red. An instant later, they shatter, dropping to the ground. The twins look to each other in disbelief>

Crusader: "Well, okay, so maybe he's a little mad."

Spellbinder: "I guess I might have to have 'Princess' removed from my business cards..."

<The Army of Cobalt Kid marches in full-force against the Ggrrggians, as blood is spilled and all out war erupts. Outdoor Miner teleports the five heroes in and the battle rages on.>

The leader of the Ggrrggians is mine.

<Using their powers, the five heroes are able to tip the scales of battle tremendously in favor of the LMB Triumvirate. They begin pushing the Ggrrggians back.>

<The battle rages for hours. Soon, it becomes clear that the Ggrrggian Army has no chance of winning, as the Jectra Twins and Abin Quank push them back in broad strokes with their powers. The Army of Cobalt Kid, exhausted, begins to pull back victorious.>

Take me to their leader, OM.

Admidst the slaughter, Outdoor Miner teleports Cobalt and himself to the Ggrrggian leader, and Outdoor Miner realizes this is Cobalt’s father. They see him holding his sword to the neck of Scipio Taltarus, Cobalt’s greatest lieutunent.>

NO!

<Cobalt rushes forward, knocking the sword out of his hand. The father and son duel one on one. Cobalt doesn’t have any fight left in him, but his father looks to kill him where he stands. Finally, it is Scipio who slashes Cobalt’s father across the back. The old man falls, and is quickly grabbed by his forces and pulled back, as Cobalt is unsure if he is dead or alive. “I could not let you commit patricide, general. I’m sorry,” says Scipio, as he walks off.>

My problems are for another day, anyway…

Let’s get the others, Miner. The war, as quick as it began, is over. It was a distraction anyway, that much I see. The whole point of this thing was to put me at odds with Crujectra and Crusader. If anything, it probably brought us closer. Now none of us have families…save the LMB. And that is enough.

Let’s go home. The Monitor’s thoughts have been processing in my brain for weeks. I know what is to come.

<The heroes gather.>

To Legion World, Abin.

<hands on Crusader and Crujectra’s shoulders> We’ll beat this together.